I'd agree with msmemory that it mostly has to do with attentiveness. In this case, it took well over five minutes after we had put our menus down (when I say ten minutes total, I'm being generous -- it might have been fifteen), and I was on the verge of finding the manager. That's never acceptable, especially when the waiter didn't come over after we sat down.
And mind, they didn't bring our bread or water until *after* she took our order -- that's even worse. And we didn't get our drinks until we'd finished our bread, probably ten minutes after *that*. (So note: it was almost half an hour after we sat down that we got our cocktails.)
As a general rule, I expect the waiter to show within three minutes to check in initially, and play it by ear from there. In a case like yours, where they're being actively shooed away, I would expect a recheck in maybe 5-6 minutes after that. I do generally expect to see a waiter no more than a couple of minutes after I put my menu down, especially at an expensive restaurant.
More generally, at a really good restaurant I expect them to let the customer set the pace. The mark of a good waiter is paying attention to the customer, and managing the timing to suit them. I don't mind a leisurely tone, but this crossed the line into inattentiveness, and that's never appropriate.
Like I said, I'll cut them some slack since it was their first night. But it was a notable flaw in an otherwise top-notch meal...
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And mind, they didn't bring our bread or water until *after* she took our order -- that's even worse. And we didn't get our drinks until we'd finished our bread, probably ten minutes after *that*. (So note: it was almost half an hour after we sat down that we got our cocktails.)
As a general rule, I expect the waiter to show within three minutes to check in initially, and play it by ear from there. In a case like yours, where they're being actively shooed away, I would expect a recheck in maybe 5-6 minutes after that. I do generally expect to see a waiter no more than a couple of minutes after I put my menu down, especially at an expensive restaurant.
More generally, at a really good restaurant I expect them to let the customer set the pace. The mark of a good waiter is paying attention to the customer, and managing the timing to suit them. I don't mind a leisurely tone, but this crossed the line into inattentiveness, and that's never appropriate.
Like I said, I'll cut them some slack since it was their first night. But it was a notable flaw in an otherwise top-notch meal...